House Republicans Change Rules to Protect DeLay

On a voice vote, the House Republican Conference changed a rule that required party leaders to step down if indicted for any crime that carries a prison sentence of two or more years.

Now other Republican leaders would have 30 days to review a felony indictment and make recommendations to all House Republicans about whether the person should step aside.

``We are trying to protect members of our leadership from any crackpot attorney taking on a political agenda,'' said Henry Bonilla, a Texas Republican who drafted the rules change....

House Republicans are backtracking on their pledge to raise ethical standards when they took over the House, said House Democratic Whip Steny Hoyer of Maryland.

``Republicans said their objective was to raise the ethical standards,'' Hoyer said. ``This seems to me to be moving in the opposite direction.''

The House ethics committee last month said DeLay violated House rules by contacting the Federal Aviation Administration to help track a plane carrying Texas Democratic lawmakers outside the state -- to avoid a quorum for legislative action --during the redistricting battle in the Texas statehouse. It was one of three admonishments from the committee he faced within a week.

via mefi (see amberglow's link)